The New Archetype for Black Metal Bass
ESP’s namesake design shows through strong as ever with their Black Metal series, including a matching monochrome single-pickup arrangement that makes this dark horse a menacing complement to its Arctic Metal sibling. This bass is molded for metal, sporting an extra-thin “U” maple neck for high-octane flourishes across all 21 frets of the Macassar ebony fingerboard. Alder anchors the tone in the body, favoring bombastic lows that will thunder through the active EMG bridge pickup. As an added flourish, glow in the dark dots adorn the side of the neck, ensuring easily identifiable positioning under almost any lighting conditions. Sweetwater’s bass buffs agree that this straightforward 4-string fortress is all killer, no filler — it's ready to rumble and engineered to thrill!
Flurries of sound
Boisterous basses abound with this LTD M-4 Black Metal bass, starting with its flat, alder body. This hefty tonewood offers rich, warm sustain, boasting a low-end predilection that favors solid basses and biting mids. You’ll find the maple neck imparts a characteristic brightness to this bass’s overall sound, with premiere note separation, great projection, and a balanced articulation through every register. The Macassar ebony fingerboard is oozing with presence, sporting a dynamic, responsive range with excellent sustain, full bass, crystalline trebles, and just-so-slightly scooped middle range. All in, these tonewoods harmonize for a stable, clear, thundering bass befitting anyone willing to put it through its paces.
Searing single-coil design
Like its Arctic Metal sibling, the LTD M-4 is outfitted with a single, active EMG 35CS active humbucker. This dual coil pickup utilizes ceramic and steel magnets engineered with a solderless design to tame the top end while delivering punchy, thundering lows with plenty of warmth. EMG’s preamp is designed to contain the heat, as needed, staying quiet when it’s not in use, but ready to fire on all cylinders at a moment’s notice. A single volume control knob adorns the sleek façade, aligned with the heavy metal design philosophy that oozes from every pore of this arctic axe.
Molded for metal
The maple neck isn’t just for sounding great — naturally light in weight and sporting an extra-thin “U” profile, this bass feels great in hand and is ready for fast, smooth action. Moreover, maple is physically sturdy and resilient to twisting and warping (the same is true with the alder body), making this an excellent choice for gigging bassists or anyone short on time for maintenance You’ll find yourself exploring all 21 XJ frets of the Macassar ebony fingerboard, sporting a 15.75-inch radius with unmatched access, thanks to the ergonomic cutaway in the body. The neck-through design ensures robust, reliable sound from the Grover tuners to the Gotoh 201B-4 bridge. A precision-angled, pointed inline headstock exudes metal panache, sending the strings through a molded 1.65-inch nut, which optimizes string tension without sacrificing clarity.
ESP LTD M-4 Black Metal Bass Guitar Features:
- Flat alder body boasts thundering lows
- Maple neck delivers great note separation with tremendous projection and brightness throughout
- Macassar ebony fingerboard resonates spectacularly in every register with excellent sustain
- Neck-through construction is structurally stable, lightweight, and naturally resistant to twisting and warping
- Extra-thin “U” profile begets fast action with comfort and ease
- 21 XJ frets sprawl a 15.75-inch fingerboard radius to provide balanced, rugged playability across a 35-inch scale
- Grover tuners, 1.65-inch molded nut, and Gotoh 201B-4 bridge ensure consistent, buzz-free sound
- EMG 35 active humbucker captures every frequency with tons of heat
- Singular volume control means streamlined sonic sculpting
